Oluchi Onweagba
By Ines Mendoza
Oluchi Onweagba
You know what we haven't done in a while?
"What" asks the internet to me, Ines Mendoza (sexpot, sassy gal around town and expert marksman), with a hint of skepticism.
We haven't looked into the meaningless life of a fashion model who has a name that's nigh on impossible to pronounce.
"By gum, you're right... you're always right you sexpot, sassy gal around town. PS. Great shot! Bullseye!" the internet says jumping out of a chair made up of a series of algorithms, as a piece of nano technology is known to do from time to time.
Then it's settled. I'll research the model with the most difficult name to spell and sound out using "my words". Here we go : Oluchi Onweagba.
"Isn't that slightly racist Ines?" queries the Internet.
SHUT YOUR CAKE HOLE INTERNET! Anyway, where was I. Yes, Oluchi Onweagba. A woman so stunning and dashing that her name sounding like a man suffering a stroke proposing to his wife is barely even registers as a hinderance.
Born in Nigeria, and bred in the suburbs of Lagos with her two brothers and sisters, Onweagba was just seventeen years old when she took out the award for "Face Of Africa" contest.
Based on this success, Oluchi was pushed into the M-Net "Face of Africa" competition on Victoria Island in Lagos. It was from here that she not only was set on the course for superstardom... but groomed for it. That's right, much like a Prince she was groomed to become one of Nigeria's entrants for the 1998 competition.
Oluchi Onweagba
Why? Well, it turns out pretty ol' Oluchi Onweagba had little to no knowledge of fashion and modeling. So, as is the case with Princes, her family and friends decideded what was right for her and "encouraged her" to compete in the inaugural edition of the Face of Africa in 1998. Not surprisingly, she won the competition with ease and was awarded a three-year modeling contract.
This is often the case when you are so gorgeous men fall to the ground like they've seen the Ark Of The Covenant in Radiers of the Lost Ark.
With Lagos hardly the fashion capital of the world, there was no other choice for her other than moving to New York City, where she still lives to this very day.
This access to the fashion elite led Oluchi Onweagba to grace the covers of Vogue, ELLE, Untold and Surface (to name but a few) - as well as being featured in the likes of Marie Claire, Allure, Gianfranco Ferré, Gap, Express, Banana Republic and Ann Taylor.
It wouldn't be a Web Wombat Fashion story without dropping the ol' "she worked for Victoria's Secret" bomb. But this sort of thing happens when you have runway experience with big wigs like John Galliano, Christian Dior, Chanel and Giorgio Armani.
The other major appeal of this Nigerian stunner is that coming from such humble beginnings, she is now also a role model for other aspiring talents in Nigeria by volunteering her time with LEAP Africa and NIPRO, all while continuing her higher education with an associate's degree in the New York City educational system.
Not content with simply working within the system, she took it on herself in 2008 by launching a modeling agency of her own in South Africa, OModel Africa, which now offers modeling contracts for prizes at the M-Net Face of Africa.
The circle of life, fashion life!
